Implantable Capsule for Angiogenesis Studies

本项目的目标是开发一种植入性胶囊，用于研究体内促进和抑制小鼠血管生成的作用。正在进行的方法使用在一端密封的管状胶囊。该胶囊将填充一种商业细胞外基质凝胶(例如Matrigel)，其中含有血管生成剂，如碱性成纤维细胞生长因子和肝素。由于在植入部位向邻近组织的扩散释放，选择胶囊构型作为在胶囊内产生药剂在毫米距离上的空间梯度的手段。主要用途是评估对释放物质的血管生成反应的各个方面，例如迁移到胶囊中的细胞的特征和组织的空间差异，以及参与细胞表达的基因。其他应用包括研究添加到胶囊中或以其他方式给予宿主动物的抑制剂所产生的血管生成反应的变化。

The goal of this project is to develop an implantable capsule for studying the promotion and inhibition of angiogenesis in vivo in mice. The approach being pursued employs a tubular capsule sealed at one end. The capsule will be filled with a commercial extracellular matrix gel (e.g., Matrigel) containing angiogenic agents, such as basic fibroblast growth factor and heparin. The capsule configuration was chosen as a means for generating a spatial gradient of the agents within the capsule over a distance of millimeters as a result of diffusional release to the adjacent tissue at the implant site. A primary use is in evaluating aspects of the angiogenic response to the released substances, such as the spatial variation in the characteristics and organization of the cells that migrate into the capsules, and the genes expressed by the participating cells. Additional applications include study of alterations in the angiogenic response produced by inhibitors added to the capsules or otherwise administered to the host animal.